Determining Sample Size: Balancing Power, Precision, and Practicality

Internet Resources for Determining Sample Size Organized by Statistical Procedure

Diff Two Means
Diff Two Proportions
Odds Ratio
Relative Risk
Chi Square
ANOVA
Correlation
Regression
Logistic Regression
Structural Equation Modeling
Multilevel Analysis
Additional Resources

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published by Oxford University Press

Sample size determination is an important and often difficult step in planning an empirical study. From a statistical perspective, sample size depends on the following factors: type of analysis to be performed, desired precision of estimates, kind and number of comparisons to be made, number of variables to be examined, and heterogeneity of the population to be sampled. Other important considerations include feasibility, such as ethical limitations on access to a population of interest and the availability of time and money. The primary assumption of this book is that, within the context of ethical and practical limitations, efforts to obtain samples of appropriate size and quality remain an important and viable component of social science research.

This text describes the following available approaches for estimating sample size in social work research and discusses their strengths and weaknesses: (1) power analysis, (2) confidence intervals, (3) computer-intensive strategies, and (4) ethical and cost considerations. In addition, strategies for mitigating pressures to increase sample size, such as emphasis on model parsimony (e.g., fewer dependent and independent variables), simpler study designs, an emphasis on replication, and careful planning of analyses are discussed. This text covers sample-size determination for advanced and emerging statistical strategies, such as structural equation modeling, multilevel analysis, repeated measures MANOVA, and repeated measures ANOVA which are not discussed in other texts including Cohen (1988). This book can serve either as a supplemental text for an introductory course or as a core text for a more advanced course.


Difference between Two Means

Calculate sample size for a study comparing means (p. 147)

Compute CI of a sum, difference, quotient, or product (p. 43)


Difference between Two Proportions

Difference Between Two Proportions-Power and Sample Size (p. 21)

Calculator for the confidence interval for the difference between two independent proportions (p. 45)


Odds Ratio

Calculate for confidence interval around an odds ratio (p. 46)

Calculator for confidence intervals for odds ratio unmatched case control study


Relative Risk

Calculate the confidence interval for relative risk (p. 147)


Chi Square

Calculate confidence intervals around chi square (p. 46)


ANOVA

ANOVA-Power and Sample Size (p. 24)

PSY calculate confidence intervals around contrasts (p. 49)

Power Analysis for ANOVA Designs


Correlation

Calculate confidence intervals around rho (p. 49)

SISA -Simple Interactive Statistical Analysis s a web-based tool to calculate the significance r, significance of the difference between two r coefficients, power of r, sample size for r, partial r, and multiple r (p. 148)


Regression

Calculate the 99%, 95%,and 90% confidence intervals for a regression coefficient (p. 51)

Calculate the 99%, 95%,and 90% confidence intervals for R-squared (p. 51)

Calculate an adjusted R-squared (p. 51)

R2 calculates confidence intervals for R-squared (p. 51)

R2 manual [pdf] (p. 51)

Calculator the effect size for multiple regression (f2), given a value of R2 (p. 146)

Calculate the minimum required sample size, given the alpha level, the number of predictors, the anticipated effect size, and the desired statistical power level for a multiple regression model (p. 146)

Calculate the beta level of a study, given the observed alpha level, the number of predictors, the observed R2, and the sample size for a multiple regression model (p. 147)


Logistic Regression

Logistic Regression with Binary Covariate(s)-Power and Sample Size (p. 31)

Logistic Regression with Exposure Measurement Error (p. 32)


Structural Equation Modeling

Mx is a matrix algebra interpreter and numerical optimizer for structural equation modeling and other types of statistical modeling (p.34)

NIESEM is a program for calculating user-defined confidence intervals around noncentral fit indices (p. 34)

Paul Dungeon's Webpage with NIESEM, which is a program for calculating user-defined confidence intervals around noncentral fit indices (p. 125)


Multilevel Analysis

PinT calculates approximate standard errors for estimates of fixed effect parameters in hierarchical linear models with two levels (p. 36)

Optimal Design Software-optimal design for longitudinal and multilevel research (p. 37)

Optimal Design Software Manual (p. 37)


Additional World Wide Web Resources (Not Referenced in the Text)

Probability Distributions and Related Distributions

Calculator for confidence intervals for odds ratio unmatched case control study

Comparing Single Proportion to Known Population

Computer Software for Power Analysis in Covariance Structure Modeling

Distribution Density Calculators, Plotters and RNG's

Calculate sample size necessary to detect the difference between two proportions

Various web-based statistical tools

Free Statistics Calculators

Free Web Development Resources

Free Web Development Resources - Overview of the Web Color Model

GraphPad QuickCalcs Confidence interval of a SD

Interactive Statistical Calculation Pages

Interactive Statistical Calculation Pages2

Interactive Statistical Calculation Pages

JavaStat -- Retrospective Power Calculations

Kevin's Home Page

Martindale's Calculators On-Line Center

Martindale's Calculators On-Line Center Statistics - Courses

MathPages

MetaCalcPage

Noncentral Student CDF Calculator

Power Analysis for ANOVA Designs

Power Slates in HyperCourseware

Power and Sample Size Calculation for Logistic Regression with Binary Covariate(s)

Sample Size Calculations for Logistic Regression with Exposure Measurement Error

Sample size calculator

Sample Size Calculator by Raosoft, Inc.

Sample Size for Controlled Trials

Samplesize Home Page

Sample Size Calculator

Section of Medical Statistics

Statistical Applets

Statistical Calculators

The Ideas Behind Statistical Power

Java applet that demonstrates features of ANOVA

Victor Bissonnette's Home Page (useful statistical tables and more)

Data Generator is a free, open source script written in JavaScript, PHP and MySQL that lets you generatecustom data in a variety of formats.

Factorial Calculator

Calculate combinations and permutations

Sort Text

Sort Numbers

Sort References

Raynald's SPSS Tools contains 675 plus examples of syntax, macros, and scripts

Easy Calculation.com-Online Statistics Calculators for mean, median, mode, standard deviation, geometric mean, grouped data arithmetic mean, class interval arithmetic mean, root mean square, correlation coefficient, regression, harmonic mean.

 

last updated: 03/07/2008

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